Lead loss, preferred orientation, and the dielectric properties of sol-gel prepared lead titanate thin films

The PbO loss during rapid thermal annealing of PbTiO3 thin films prepared by the sol-gel method has been investigated using electron probe microanalysis. The results have been correlated with the x-ray diffraction analyses and the dielectric properties of the films. The films start to loose PbO significantly during annealing at 600 °C for 60 s. After annealing at 700 °C the Pb/Ti ratios decrease down to 1.0 independent of the amount of excess PbO of the solutions. No PbO crystalline phases are observed in the x-ray diffraction patterns, therefore the excess PbO is assumed to remain in the films as an amorphous phase.